Washing machine



Jan. 30, 193 J. l. RUSSAKOV WASHIIG MACHINE Filed. Sept. 14, I93];

Patented Jan. 30, 1934 PATENT OFFICE WASHING MACHINE Jacob I. Russakov, Chicago, 111.

Application September 14', 1931 Serial No. 562,618

1 Claim.

These improvements relate to what are generally called clothes washing machines, although adapted for cleaning fabrics of other kinds. The device applies to the type of washer in which the fabrics are tumbled about in a cleaning liquid, which may be soap and water, gasoline, etc.

The object is to provide a simple form of washer, which will ordinarily be of small size, but without limitation thereto, and which is peculiarly effective. Convenience in operation, the small overall space required, and low cost are among its advantages. A specific feature is the provision of means for maintaining the mass of the articles in a more open or diffused form during the cleaning operation, thus improving the result. Another feature is the provision of simple and easilyoperable means for holding the container releasably in position for inserting and removing the contents.

Figure l of the drawing is a medial vertical longitudinal section through the device; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The device is provided with a main support or frame which includes end pieces 10 and 11 and connecting pieces 12, the end pieces being notched or recessed downwardly at 13 to receive the coaxial trunnions 14 and 15 respectively of the rotatable part or container. The frame is shown as being formed from sheet metal.

The container is a hollow body 16, shown formed of sheet metal, of substantially cylindrical form, havin end walls 17 and the circumferential side wall 18. Extending almost from end to end of the side wall is a substantially large opening 19 having a beaded edge 20 against which presses the endless rubber gasket 21 held in the recessed marginal rim of the lid, cover or closure 22. This closure is held in place by four bolts 23 swiveled to the body or side wall 18 and having wing nuts 24 bearing against extensions 25 of the cover 22. The cover may be removed by retracting the wing nuts, swinging the bolts laterally on their pivots 26 away from the cleats 25 and then simply lifting the cover away.

Within the hollow interior of the body is a substantially flat vane marked as a whole 28, the same being formed of sheet metal and comprising end parts 29 and a middle part 30, this middle part projecting inward a substantial distance and forming a blunt finger-like projection directed from the circumference substantially toward the axis of revolution. In side view this projection 30 is rounded to avoid sharp comers;

and preferably also to provide a top edge which slants away laterally and outwardly from a high place in its middle. This metal vane as a whole is beaded at its outer edge at 31 with a wire 32 (Fig. 2) inserted for strength as well as to provide a well-rounded edge, thus avoiding sharp edges likely to catch into and tear the fabrics. This vane 28 is secured to the body as by soldering same to the end walls at 33 and along the side wall at 34.

The stem 35 of the crank 36 has a flattened part 37 which extends into an axial recess of the same shape in hub 14, and is thus in driving relation to the hub. A set screw 38 holds the crank in this position.

The lever arm 36a of the crank has a latch 38 mounted at 39 to swing upward out of and downward into engagement with the catch 40 which is pressed outward and upward from the metal of end wall 10. The relationship of the crank to the container is such that when the arm 36a is directed downward the lid or cover 22 is at the top, and with the container thus held in a fixed position the cover may readily be removed and replaced and the container filled and emptied of its fabric contents. Ordinarily the container will be lifted away from the frame and the liquid contents poured out.

There is a catch 42 on end wall 11 like catch 40, and the latch 38 will engage with catch 42 should the container be applied to the frame with the crank adjacent to end wall 11. This provision permits the user to apply the container to the frame without any thought as to operative relationships of parts.

Turning now to the action, when the container is rotated the fabric contents are carried upward by the vane 28 until the angle is such that they slide off and fall back into the liquid. Such a vane, without the part 30, acts to tumble the fabrics about and improves the cleaning action. I have found, however, that with a vane of uniform height, as the parts 29, extending all the way across, the fabrics are rolled about until they become bunched together or in the form of a fairly 100 solid mass.

Such a mass form does not permit the desired cleansing to take place. The desirable condition of the fabrics is open and spread apart as much as possible. This is accomplished by the projec- 105 tion 30, which holds the middle portion of the mass while the lateral portions are slipping down. Furthermore, the container is moving fairly rapidly so there is an upward drag on the middle portion ofthe mass. The action is to break up 1 10 Jet-- any particular solid mass formation at a given time, to cause the articles to become separated and to rearrange themselves, to spread the articles out, to cause them to fall more as units, and thus to maintain the lot as a whole in a more spread-apart and diffused condition. A better rubbing action, one article upon another, thus occurs; the effects of the tumbling about are had upon the articles severally; the cleaning liquid in violent agitation reaches all surfaces of the fabrics; and, for all reasons, the washing is done completely and satisfactorily in a short space of time and with comparatively little effort.

This type or character of washer is shown also in my Design Patent No. 83,129 of January 20, 1931, where the container is of hexagonal form.

I contemplate as being included in these improvements all such changes, variations and departures from what is thus specifically illustrated and described as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a hand-operable washing machine, a container having a trunnion at each end, with a crank arm extending from one of said trunnions, a supporting frame having a pair of end members, with each end member having an open-top bearing, each bearing being adapted to receive either of said trunnions, and both bearings supporting the trunnions for rotation whereby the rotatable container, said trunnions and said crank arm are freely reversible as aunit in the frame, said crank arm being directed to extend alongside one and then the other of said frame end members when said unit is alternately reversed in said frame, said crank arm having a latch adapted to engage readily releasably a catch on one of said end members to hold the crank arm and thereby the container in a given position against rotation, each of said end members having a catch adapted to coact alternately with said latch so to hold the container when said unit is alternately reversed in the frame.

JACOB I. RUSSAKOV. 

